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HoofPrints Newsletter
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June 17, 2012
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ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THIS NEWSLETTERFarriers Greeting Cards was started by Gina Keesling in 1986 (in a very small way) to provide helpful promotional materials for farrier husband Rob. Along the way we became HoofPrints.com, too, adding a selection of fun horse and dog products geared toward women of a certain age. This newsletter is emailed to subscribers a few times a month, depending on how often I have something to share. Watch for special sales, interesting stories, uplifting quotes and more.
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 Check out these NEW Coasters we found! This time of year is fun, as we are seriously on the hunt for cool new products. Folks often ask how we find all this stuff, and to be honest, it's just a mixture of efforts. Finding things online, seeing them at trade shows and festivals, repurposing stuff that's not horsey, referrals from family, friends and customers, suggestions from current suppliers, etc. At any rate, we were really excited when these samples came. The coasters are sturdy 4"x4" ceramic tiles, decorated with four lovely horse paintings, combined with a single inspirational word. They've got a durable glazed finish so they'll be easy to wipe clean. As a contrast, they're framed in rustic wood just like a little picture! And they're backed with rubber "feet" as to further protect your furniture. Comes with a matching wood box to keep them all corralled when not in use. It also happens that these look sweet with our small wood easel, so instead of holding drinks would make a lovely horsey decorator's touch - display with easels or hang as a grouping on the wall (you'll have to add your own sawtooth hanger, so plan for that). A spiffy, useful, multipurpose gift that's under $23!
To order click here
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 A Dog's Journey - Another Novel for Humans is a sequel to the bestseller A Dog's Purpose - Buddy is a good dog. After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, Buddy is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own.
When Buddy is reborn, he realizes that he has a new destiny. He's overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs - who will take care of his girl?
A charming and heartwarming story of hope, love, and unending devotion, A Dog's Journey asks the question: Do we really take care of our pets, or do they take care of us? More than just another endearing dog tale, A Dog's Journey is the moving story of unwavering loyalty and a love that crosses all barriers.
Gina's note: A wrote about A Dog's Purpose in a newsletter here. It's one of my all-time favorite books. This sequel did not disappoint. Although I did give some thought to trying to market these with their own big box of kleenex as it's certainly needed. But this presented a packaging challenge with the bulky kleenex box not fitting into any of the nifty USPS packaging AND adding extra weight - so you'll have to get your own. I also considered the little travel size packages - but they're just not enough. There, you've been warned.
So, if you're still game to read these emotional stories, click here. |
 "Hold Your Horses"...
I got this one in last year from our friends at Snorgtees. I liked it, but I didn't love it - so I set it aside and it ended up not getting featured in the catalog - I ran out of space. So I put the sample on our HALF PRICE / One of A Kind page (since I only had one) and it was snatched up in a matter of minutes. My webmaster was away from his computer and we didn't get it taken off the site right away. I could have sold a bunch of them - as multiple people continued to try to order that one shirt. At this point, I decided to give this one another look - so here it is! A soft, royal blue cotton T - with a funny/serious play on words. To order, click here. |
 A Farrier's Prayer
Dear Lord, give me strength to start this day
And wisdom and courage to face whatever I encounter in my travels. Even though my work with horses is difficult and dangerous, Grant me patience for his flighty and unpredictable ways, And keep me safe from harm as I do my task. Let me remember that my satisfaction comes from helping A lame horse to go sound, and a sound one to do his job with comfort. Help me to have patience with my fellow humans, and to remember that Most love their horses and want what is best for them. Let me have respect and fellowship with my peers, so that we are Not alone in this complex and challenging vocation. Remind me that while my work is important, faith and family should Come first; help me to schedule my days to reflect these priorities And at the end of the day, when my mind and body are tired, Help me remember why I chose this profession, And never let me never lose fascination and reverence for this Wonderful creature You have given us, the horse. -Amen
Written by HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling - Matted/framed version available here
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 All Greeting Cards - HALF PRICE!
All fall/winter we take calls from budget-minded farriers and other equine professionals - trying to decide if it's worth the cost to send Christmas cards to their clients. If you're one of those - now might be the time to reconsider.
Anyone who has been getting this newsletter for very long probably has noticed that we aren't doing big sale promotions every time you turn around. We pretty much need to sell everything at regular price in order to stay in business. We are not Wal-Mart, and we hope that low prices are not the reason folks shop with us.
However, when we DO have sales, I try to make them memorable. And this one falls into that category, I hope. A special reward for those out there who are clever enough to anticipate how many cards they might need at Christmas time, AND organized enough to REMEMBER that they've already purchased them and WHERE they put them. That's not me. But I know you folks exist - I've heard stories... This sale ends June 30, some of the card designs are low inventory and will NOT be reprinted, so make your selections early. To see them click here.
Shown here is one of our Christmas Cards that marked historic moment; #CIB is the first card we've ever done that has NOT had a horse, dog, or something farrier-related on it. But I saw this lovely picture of a barn in the driving snow at night - it made me shiver with thoughts of the days that I know are coming. The shot was taken by Christina Handley & Laura Cotterman - and I knew it was perfect for this wording:
This holiday Season, as you go about your chores in the barn, remember... That the place God chose for the birth of His only son was not a church, or a palace, but the home of animals - a stable.
Also, PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE read carefully the wording options available for the insides of the cards when you order. The website defaults to withOUT "thank you for your business" - but some cards are ONLY available WITH this option, so if you click those, that's what you're going to get. I Heard the Bells, Rejoice!, Peace on Earth and He Knows... are 4 examples of cards that are ONLY available WITH thank you. To get started click here |
 Happy Father's Day to my Dad! Back in May, I featured a Mother's Day tribute to my Mom here, so it's only fitting that this month should bring the same for my Dad. Dad was always fixing stuff. When I was little, it was out of necessity as you didn't just trot out and buy new at Wal-Mart whenever an item broke. Heck, he'd get other folks' old, broken stuff, fix it up like new, and that's what we'd use. The world would do well to do a little more fixing these days, too.
Anyway, shown above is me and my dad - many more years ago than I'd care to reveal . Behind us is a spiffy red 1935 Chevrolet pickup, which at that time was approaching 30 years old. Back then, old stuff wasn't cool like it is now. It was just old stuff that you used until you had the means to get NEW stuff. This was Dad's daily driver. He drove it when he went on repair service calls for the farm implement dealership that employed him at the time. He repaired the truck, too. When the motor went bad, he replaced it with something with "a little more power". He often took his hemi-powered pickup to the Saturday night drag races.
Eventually, Dad left the farm equipment company to start his own business. He and Mom operated a New Holland dealership for years. The old Chevy was parked in the barn - having been replaced by more modern service trucks. Dad continued to fix things - servicing the farm equipment that he sold, later restoring old tractors, then old cars. He has a real knack for making tired old vehicles young and new again, and he amassed quite a collection. In all the years, and all the projects I've seen him complete - I don't remember EVER seeing him rushed, or upset or stressed about them. What an inspiration. The amount of work done was monumental as most of these cars and trucks had to be completely disassembled, etc. One project car he bought was literally apart - with all the pieces (that they could find) in crates and boxes. It was a rare convertible Ford, and worth the effort as it was a show-winning beauty when complete. And he and mom don't just park these and admire them - they DRIVE them to the events they participate in - some as far as the west coast.
When my son Jordan was about 11, he and Dad started restoration on a 1952 Ford pickup that was to be Jordan's own. (Mom's theory was that a newly licensed teenager would be a more careful driver in a vehicle that had had so much time and work spent on it.) Weekend after weekend, Dad took this capricious youngster on a journey of patience, perseverance and learning - away from the TV and the video games. The completed truck has gone on to win multiple prestigious Dearborn Awards, but more valuable than that is all the lessons Jordan learned along the way. Thanks Dad! |
RECAP - From the last newsletter: Here's what we talked about last time:
Flawed Folks' books here
Farrier Invoices at old prices here
Things not to say to a farrier here
Cavalia DVD here
Woman Needs a Horse here
Beautiful Jim Key - true story here
Make a Horsey Scrapbook here
PAST NEWSLETTERS - See what you missed! Catch up on the news here
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WHAT'S NEW?
Spiritual Book
Desiderata for Horse Lovers makes a great gift! order here |
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CHECK IT OUT!
SALE on Spring T's
BIG sale on Springy Horsey T-shirts less than $10 each here! |
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WHAT'S NEW?
The Faraway Horses by Buck Brannaman
Read more about the life of best-selling DVD star here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
Farrier Book
Millwater's Farriery here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
Farrier Book
Order Confessions of a Horseshoer here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ Christian Book ~
The Invisible Woman - When Only God Sees here |
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WHAT'S ON SALE?
MORE stuff 50% OFF
Won't You Fix My Horse, Too? vintage art print $9.95 here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ Horse Books ~
New Bookmark FREE with purchase of Tom Moates books on Honest Horsemanship here |
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ON SALE HALF PRICE!
Best Selling Card
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ for Horsewomen ~
Horsewoman's Long Tall List of Things to Do here
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Message
We LOVE hearing from our customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling via email at gina@hoofprints.com |
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Find us on facebook
Be sure to LIKE our facebook page - it's where we announce special sales, breaking news and everything else we find interesting. To see it go here |
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Our Current Catalog
Request your copy of HoofPrints Spring Catalog by clicking here |
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Memorable Quote:
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"The secret of success is concentrating interest in life... interest in the small things of nature... In other words to be fully awake to everything."
From Fitzgerald to Reagan, 5 Letters of Fatherly Advice from History's Greatest Public Dads by Maria Popova - Lots more here
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Share our emails
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Viral marketing... it sounds bad, doesn't it?
You can ask my husband - a frequent topic around here is that of forwarded emails - and the psychology behind them - just WHAT prompts people to decide; "I am going to send this to everyone I know!".
We receive a lot of them. Some are pretty good, and others are dumb. Dumb in a myriad of ways... Alarmist email rumors that have been around forever - that folks keep sending "just in case it's true" Pictures of someone's butt (or worse) - don't even get me started about the firecracker butt - but at least that one was timely when it showed up around July 4. Christian messages that are uplifting - until you get to the end and you're threatened "if you're not ashamed that you love Jesus, forward this - if you are, then delete." Pictures of cute puppies and kittens (awww)
I enjoy writing these newsletters - and sharing all this stuff with you all. But the fact is, it's also a way to help us stay connected with customers and sell products during the time between catalog mailings (which is only once a year) So I really, really like it when someone new stumbles upon the newsletter and is excited to "discover" our company and the products we offer.
In all my efforts to make the newsletter interesting and forward-worthy - it never occurred to me to JUST ASK you all to send it! Duh. Sometimes the obvious is elusive, I guess. So here goes - my request to ask you to forward our email newsletter to your horsey friends. All we ask is that you please be judicious and only send to folks who might be interested. Otherwise we are no better than the "firecracker butt". Click to get started. (please note - using this form does NOT subscribe anyone to our list - it is a one-time only forward)
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